JWS hires TMT partner from Bird & Bird
National law firm Johnson Winter Slattery has moved to bolster its IP and technology team with the appointment of a partner from Bird & Bird, who will be based in its Sydney office.
Sophie Dawson (pictured) has joined JWS and has come across from Bird & Bird, where she spent over six years as a partner. Prior to this, she was a partner at Ashurst.
The news follows a string of senior appointments by the BigLaw firm, including adding a special counsel from Baker McKenzie in early April, an environment and planning special counsel from Corrs in the same month, a special counsel for its energy and resources team in March, and an IP special counsel, also from Corrs, as a new partner in October.
Speaking about the appointment, JWS managing partner Jeremy Davis said: “We are delighted to have Sophie join JWS. Sophie is a market-leading lawyer, having worked on some of the most significant disputes in the TMT sector.
“Sophie’s appointment will add further depth to both our technology and media practices and continue to strengthen our disputes offering.”
Dawson added: “JWS has a strong reputation in the TMT sector, and I am excited to be joining a team with such high-calibre lawyers and clients.”

Jerome Doraisamy
Jerome Doraisamy is the editor of Lawyers Weekly and HR Leader. He has worked at Momentum Media as a journalist on Lawyers Weekly since February 2018, and has served as editor since March 2022. In June 2024, he also assumed the editorship of HR Leader. Jerome is also the author of The Wellness Doctrines book series, an admitted solicitor in NSW, and a board director of the Minds Count Foundation.
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